Calls for Discussion of Presidential System

Calls for Discussion of Presidential System

Numerous general elections and ineffective coalition governments in the TRNC over the years, have raised the issue of adopting an executive-style presidency.

President of the Young Businessmen Association (GİAD) Cemal Gülercan told Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Kibris Postasi’ that the existing parliamentary system is no longer sustainable for the country. Elections held every other year over the past 40 years and the inability to form a coalition government today, indicates the need to discuss the introduction of a presidential system.

As an economic NGO, their priority is economic stability. Political power struggles only serve to create uncertainty, he said.

“Changing the system and switching to a more effective, simple and functional presidential system is a matter that should be on the agenda of the newly established government”, said Gülercan.

“In line with this awareness and goal, we need to establish a system that will enable our people to reach higher levels of prosperity, which will increase their living standards, and we must recover this unique country, which we live in with the goal of a strong Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, without any further delay”, he added.

President of the Turkish Cypriot Farmers Union (KTÇB) Huseyin Çavuş Kelle, said in a statement to the newspaper that a government should be formed as soon as possible. Agriculture in the country was struggling with a lack of rainfall and meanwhile, no national budget has been announced.

Cafer Gürcafer, President of the Turkish Cypriot Civil Engineers Association (KTİMB), pointed out that the development of the socio-economic plans should be made as soon as possible. Regarding the coalition crisis, he said that all the institutions in the country have collapsed and serious reform is needed.

Gürcafer pointed out that when the election phase was in progress, inefficiency increased even more. “Stability did not come out of the budget. Even if any coalition government is formed, it will not be able to make legal decisions. Politics should put everything aside and say ‘it is time to do the right thing for the country’. For this reason, the date of an early election must be determined again”, he said.

“Beyond these, the parliamentary system does not work in our country”, Gurcafar proposed. “Now we should begin to think seriously about a presidential system and distinguish between the legislative and the executive”.

“The presidential system, at least after the election, will not seek an alliance”, he said, “We have determined a stable power for 5 years. Polarisation is very painful for society. This can be reduced”. The system needs to be changed, he said.

Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO), Candan Avunduk, told Kibris Postasi that “The Turkish Cypriot public has revealed increasingly the future they want to see. Now the authorities need to see that picture and give them what they want”.

“Every two to three years general elections are taking place and new governments are established in the TRNC. The discussion for adopting the presidential system must begin”. He added that KTSO that is ready to facilitate this discussion.